¡Adiós!

[Armchair Cyclist]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976960836909646314

View: https://x.com/Pelote_/status/1976960836909646314?t=QrUrQ9XYDyw5ie5KP_D0Ag&s=19

I like these parades through the spinning wheels, but they are suddenly being treated as a noble and ancient tradition: I don't think I had ever seen it before Simon Greschke's last race a year ago. Certainly such notable retirements as Valverde and Nibali simultaneously calling it a day at Lombardia 2022, celebrated at the start, did not see this.

What's the origins? Is it really an honoured historical rite?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Not sure, but I think the tradition comes from the six days circuit.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

After two-and-a-half absolutely torrid years with one major injury after the other, Geoffrey Bouchard calls it quits. His last race was in Luxembourg, where he crashed out with a broken collarbone, to add to the broken scaphoid that cost him his 2023 Tour participation, the 2023 Vuelta crash that kept him out of action for most of 2024 and multiple broken bones in the same crash that took out Landa at the Giro this year.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1200895418517554&id=100057913216248

 

[Tim Cahill]

Paco has retired.

He was there when Armstrong won his first Tour, when Frank won Liege.

He recently raced against Pablo Torres

Stuck around just for the love of the game.

 

[Breh]

After two-and-a-half absolutely torrid years with one major injury after the other, Geoffrey Bouchard calls it quits. His last race was in Luxembourg, where he crashed out with a broken collarbone, to add to the broken scaphoid that cost him his 2023 Tour participation, the 2023 Vuelta crash that kept him out of action for most of 2024 and multiple broken bones in the same crash that took out Landa at the Giro this year.

My man won 2 KoM jerseys with just a single top10 result over both GT's.

/salute

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Stuck around just for the love of the game.

And, lest we forget, won a UCI race this season!

 

[Ilmaestro99]

This thread is just hitter after hitter at the moment sadly. So many riders that were losing, some with great xarreers like Paco and some in sad circumstances like bouchard.

 

[search]

Paco has retired.

He was there when Armstrong won his first Tour, when Frank won Liege.

He recently raced against Pablo Torres

Stuck around just for the love of the game.

Fake news, according to Paco!

Spoiler

...but it could happen soon

https://twitter.com/x/status/1978056285443559690

View: https://x.com/paco_mancebo/status/1978056285443559690

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Fake news, according to Paco!

Spoiler

...but it could happen soon

https://twitter.com/x/status/1978056285443559690

View: https://x.com/paco_mancebo/status/1978056285443559690

I remember similar SoMe posts by Carlos Betancur. He said that he would make an announcement to confirm when he was retiring, from which I can only conclude that he is still racing somewhere...

 

[awavey]

Lizzie Holden

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPwR8VpAXu_/

 

[Penninepeddler]

Kind of crazy how many guys are bowing out this season within 10 wins of 100 all-time.

Kristoff (98)
Demare (97)
Viviani (90)

Only 36 riders ever have 90+ pro wins and 3/5 of the active riders who have hit that mark are retiring at the end of this season.

With these guys gone...

Tadej Pogacar (108)
Primoz Roglic (91)
Dylan Groenewegen (77)
Sam Bennett (71)

are the only four active riders with over 70 pro wins. Evanepoel is 5th with 67.

 

[scribers]

Adios logic is my friend

 

[carolina]

Rui Costa announces his retirement.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQeqkb_DOQk/?igsh=MTU5dHdjMWZpMHMwbw%3D%3D

 

[Tim Cahill]

It is a day of triumph for embittered Joaquim Rodríguez fans, the Prime Minister of Spain is calling a national holiday.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Costa's last big win was a masterpiece (Vuelta stage 15), the man did nothing that day, beating Remco/Buitrago/Kamna at 36 from the break. I got the impression he wasn't even too bothered about the stage, just wanted to troll everyone for the love of it. What was just as brilliant was how salty Dan Lloyd seemed after the stage discussing it.

 

[Netserk]

Costa's last big win was a masterpiece (Vuelta stage 15), the man did nothing that day, beating Remco/Buitrago/Kamna at 36 from the break. I got the impression he wasn't even too bothered about the stage, just wanted to troll everyone for the love of it. What was just as brilliant was how salty Dan Lloyd seemed after the stage discussing it.

Truest racer since Vino.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Fantastic commentary of the final sprint . 'VAMOS JAOQUIN.... TRIUNFOO PARRAAAAAAA ... rui costa '

View: https://youtu.be/_TS0pF6AAFg?si=aKi4Z72xpVEC2f0u

 

[search]

After a brief comeback with MBH Bank Ballan, Fabio Felline now retires again

FELLINE: "THE STORY CONTINUES DIFFERENTLY, I WILL NO LONGER BE A RIDER BUT I WILL ALWAYS THANK CYCLING"

Fourteen victories and endless emotions: the story of a cyclist closing an extraordinary chapter

www.tuttobiciweb.it

 

[Unchained]

Truest racer since Vino.

He has raced really hard this last year, didn't get the result he wanted but attacking and multiple breakaway attempts. He is an excellent bike racer, hard worker.

 

[pmcg76]

He has raced really hard this last year, didn't get the result he wanted but attacking and multiple breakaway attempts. He is an excellent bike racer, hard worker.

Something I will never understand is how guys like Rui Costa or Gerrans will get flak for wheelsucking, yet sprinters are celebrated for doing far, far less than those examples. Zero logic.

 

[Unchained]

Something I will never understand is how guys like Rui Costa or Gerrans will get flak for wheelsucking, yet sprinters are celebrated for doing far, far less than those examples. Zero logic.

I especially appreciate as Rui Costa neared his 100th birthday he still finds a way to get in the mix! He had podiums in his final year and Tour of Austria he went hard charging and went for a decent solo break before blowing up, style points. I like the guy. From San Diego story time, Rui was also a pleasant person to Chris Horner while they raced together at Lampre. Rui is a survivor..
It appears that Michael Matthews will avoid the adios thread for not 1 but 2 more years!!!!!!

 

[Sciatic]

Something I will never understand is how guys like Rui Costa or Gerrans will get flak for wheelsucking, yet sprinters are celebrated for doing far, far less than those examples. Zero logic.

I thought that was obvious: sprinters have their entire teams and often the entire peloton pulling them along till the finale. Whereas the “sucker” applies to someone using the energy of a few opponents without (or hardly) contributing themselves. You could call sprinters “slackers” for not being in front till the finale 200 meters but at that point they are competing directly against other sprinters who have done the same thing, so it’s not the appearance of “stealing” a win by choosing to refrain from working.

 

[pmcg76]

I thought that was obvious: sprinters have their entire teams and often the entire peloton pulling them along till the finale. Whereas the “sucker” applies to someone using the energy of a few opponents without (or hardly) contributing themselves. You could call sprinters “slackers” for not being in front till the finale 200 meters but at that point they are competing directly against other sprinters who have done the same thing, so it’s not the appearance of “stealing” a win by choosing to refrain from working.

By that logic, sprinters and their teams are "stealing" chances from all the other riders in the peloton by shutting races down. How many breaks are caught right at the end of a race only for a sprinter who hasn't done a tap of work all race to come through to take the win.

That is more akin to stealing that an individual rider using their talent to make the break(never easy) and then using their tactical nous and gambling skills to take a win. Even following and chasing in a break requires a lot more energy and effort than sitting in the bunch for the entire race.

The likes of Rui Costa rely on their own individual talents and skills(even if not always admirable) to create the opportunities to win, the Sprinters rely entirely on the teams to create opportunities and get far more of them. I don't see how relying on a team to win is more laudable than an individual win by a "smart" rider.

 

[Sciatic]

By that logic, sprinters and their teams are "stealing" chances from all the other riders in the peloton by shutting races down. How many breaks are caught right at the end of a race only for a sprinter who hasn't done a tap of work all race to come through to take the win.

That is more akin to stealing that an individual rider using their talent to make the break(never easy) and then using their tactical nous and gambling skills to take a win. Even following and chasing in a break requires a lot more energy and effort than sitting in the bunch for the entire race.

The likes of Rui Costa rely on their own individual talents and skills(even if not always admirable) to create the opportunities to win, the Sprinters rely entirely on the teams to create opportunities and get far more of them. I don't see how relying on a team to win is more laudable than an individual win by a "smart" rider.

I liked watching Rui Costa race and I have no problem with his tactics. Just a part of cycling. You said the criticism of he and riders like Gerrans as wheelsuckers had "zero logic." I gave an explanation that seemed logical--but you have a different perspective.

 

[pmcg76]

I said it was zero logic to criticise riders like those mentioned who do far more to earn their wins than sprinters ever do. One is criticised, the other lauded. Its not a different perspective, its the realty.